State bills tackle threats to endangered Puget Sound orcas
SEATTLE — With the number of endangered Puget Sound orcas at a 30-year low, state lawmakers want to protect the fish-eating killer whales that spend time in the inland waters of the Salish Sea.
The measures range from boosting hatchery salmon production to increasing marine patrols so that boats keep their distance from the whales.
Many have been sounding the alarm about the orcas’ plight since the September death of a juvenile brought the population to 76. Orcas face threats from lack of food, pollution and noise from vessels.
A baby orca has not been born in the last few years. Half of the calves born during a celebrated baby boom have since died. Female orcas are also having pregnancy problems linked to nutritional stress brought on by a low supply of chinook salmon, the whales’ preferred food, a recent study found.